Reversible screw-driver



(No Model.)

IE. R. PARTRIDGB.

REVERSIBLE SCREW DRIVER. No. 266,646 Patented Oot. 31, 1882.

UNiren States' Faren'r @ri-rcs FRANK R. PARTRIDGE, OF AUGUSTA, MAINE.

REVERSIBLE SCREW-DRIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,642, dated October 31, 1882.

Application filed July l0, 188:?.

(No model.)

`and I do hereby declare the same to be described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a side view, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section, of a screw-driver provided with my invention, whose nature is defined in the claims hereinafter presented. Fig. 3 is a side view ofthe blade and its portion of the clutch, to be described. Fig. 4 is a top view of thc lower section ofthe handle, with its portion of the said clutch. Fig. 5 is a bottom View ofthe upper section of the handle. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the inclined arm and its actuator, to be described.

In this screw-driver the handle A is madein two sections, a l), the lower, I), of which is provided at its upper part with a series ot' ears, c, projecting from it into correspondingnotches or recesses, d, made iu the upper section, a. A screw, d', goes through each ear and is screwed into the upper section, and serves, with the ear, to aid in connecting the two sections. The upper section is tubular to receive and support and freely revolve on the cylindrical shank c of the screw-driver blade B. The said shank, at or near its lower or inner end, has tixed upon it the male portion j' of a clutch, the female portion of such clutch bcing shown at g as in and part of the section b of the handle. `The portion f of the clutch is cylindrical, except at its lower end, which is conical and provided with teeth, like those ot' abevel-gear. Thefemale portion of the clutch is the counterpart of the lower end ofthe portion f, the teeth ofeach portion being formed to enter the spaces between those of the other in order to couple the two portions together. \Vithin the section l) is a spiral spring, h, which is to press the clutch portion j" out of engagement with its fellow portion, g, on the handle being relieved from pressure tending toadvance it on the blade, and thereby clutch the handle to the blade. On the blade being inserted in the nick of the head of a screw and the handle being pressed forward, the spring will be contracted endwisc and the blade will be clutched to the handle, so as to turn with it on the handle being revolved. On relieving` the handle from the force tending to adlvance it ou the blade the spring will unclntch the handle and blade, so as to admit of the handle being turned on and independently ot' the blade, from which it will be seen that by repeatedly pressing` the handle forward and turning it and allowing it to recede on the blade and turning the handle in the reverse direction the blade may be intermittently revolved, such revolution ofthe blade being so as to either set in or out the screw, as occasion may require.

With the revoluble screw-driver so made there is combined mechanism for ettectingthe clutching ofthe handle and blade, or the keeping them clutched in case when it may be desirable not to have the handle revolve on the shank of the blade in order to effect a revolution ofthe blade. rlhis mechanism consists of the arm C and its actuator D. The said arm is pivoted to the upper section ot' the handle and inclined to the base thereof, and extends obliquely through the actuator, which is a inctallic disk arranged between the two handlesections and to revolve on the shank ot' the blade, there being extended from the disk at its periphery, to'and beyond the outer side ot' the handle, a projection, k. Toeuableaperson by such to effect turning of the actuator toward thcjnnction of the arm and handle-section, the arm will he moved against the clutch portion f, so as to force it into or kecpitin engagement with its fellow portion, g, and thereby clutch the blade to the handle. 0n revolving the actuator the opposite way the arm`will be moved toward the upper handle-section, so as toallow the spring to force the blade forward to carry its clutch portion out of engagement with the handle part ofthe clutch.

l make no claim to a reversible screw-driver made as represented in the United States PatentNo.200,7-17, in which the parts ot' the clutch are outside of the handle and uncovered, or open to dust or other matter getting between them, such parts in my screw-driver being wholly within one ot' the sections ot' the handle and completely covered or inclosed therein, they being in the part or section against IOO 2. The combination of the arm C, pivoted to I5 the lower end of the upper section of the handle, and the actuator D, arranged between the .two sections and to revolve on the shank of the blade, as explained, with the handle and blade provided with the tWo clutch portions, 2o and withtlie spring arranged in one of such portions of the handle, asset forth.

FRANK R. PARTRIDGE.

Witnesses:

J. B. RUSSELL, LENDALL TITCQMB. 

